The Strike
by Striker-The-Hedgehog-329
Summary: Years after witnessing his father's death at the hands of Mephiles the Dark, Striker the Hedgehog embarks on a journey to find his father's murderer to bring him to justice. Traveling all over the world, Striker will meet friends both new and old. M for violence, language, character death, blood, consumption of alcohol, and description of traumatic events. Not for the fainthearted.


The dark blue hedgehog felt the warm tears slide down his cheeks. His ears flattened against his head, and his crimson eyes grew wide. His white gloved hands opened, and he fell onto one knee. His arms fell to his sides, and his lips quivered. Pressing his right hand against the thick layer of glass between himself and the horrific scene he was forced to watch unfold, he whispered his father's name.

His forehead fell onto it, and his cheeks had become rivers of tears. The two figures before him battled, his father obviously loosing. Striker called out for his father to stop, but his pleads fell on deaf ears. Shadow clutched his stomach in pain, but faced Mephiles down anyway. He wouldn't go down without a fight. That, he was sure of.

The demon made no noise, wasting no time in attacking his adversary. Shadow, a being as fast as light, barely had a chance to get out of the way. With his wounds slowing him down, he was merely staying alive by dodging his opponent's attacks. He knew it wouldn't tire him out though. He fought only for the child on the opposite side of the glass. _His_ child.

He flicked his right hand towards Mephiles, who was hit by the few Chaos Spears that shot from his hand, and could feel conciousness slowly slipping away. He shut his eyes in a last-ditch effort to at the least drive away the demonic copy of himself. His body began to glow a radiant blue as the Chaos Energy entered his veins.

Mephiles realized his intentions, and rushed the hedgehog. He was stopped in his tracks by a bubble of blue that surrounded him. The ebony one had closed eyes and a calm form, as the blue wave grew and grew, becoming brighter as it did. Mephiles was engulfed in the energy wave, and felt an intense burning sensation.

He caught the smell of his own flesh burning. He hurriedly ran towards the end of the bubble, which dissipated before he could reach it. Looking behind him, he found his enemy still floating in mid-air. His muzzle bent upwards as if he were smirking. His left arm morphed into the shape of a long, purple blade as he charged him.

Shadow could sense the attack, and slipped into Chaos Control. He stood upright, and stuck his left Han out to the side, where a sword of golden energy awaited it. Taking up a stance, he surged toward his enemy as time resumed. The two god-like beings connected with such a speed that the ground beneath their feet ripped up and was strew in every direction.

Each attacked and parried when they could, both scoring and gaining cuts and slashes. Shadow was severy close to unconsciousness, and began to attack wildly. He let the Chaos Energy take over, and soved Mephiles back with new-found strength. He slipped his inhibitor rings off his wrists, and entered his Chaos State.

Mephiles was tired of their embattlement, and had a mind to squash the hedgehog like a bug. It was time to end it. He darted forward like a bullet, and raised his sword arm to strike Shadow in the heart. The hedgehog countered, throwing him back. Now Chaos Shadow, he flung more Chaos Spears at the demon, these more powerful than the first.

The warriors growing nearer and nearer, both meant victory by death. It was survival of the fittest. Mephiles drew back and summoned his energies, projecting them out in a ray of purple light. Shadow formed his own golden light, and the two energies pushed against each other in a struggle of power. Both were equal. Both were wounded. Only one would survive.

Shadow stepped forward, his energies gaining power with each step. Mephiles knew he was over powered. He cared not. He may have lost the battle, but he had already won the war. He let Chaos Shadow's beam engulf him, and imitated defeat. Shadow collapsed, and breathed heavily. He had to get Striker out. The blue hedgehog began banging on the glass roughly, making it crack.

He pounded harder and harder until it gave way and he fell through it, landing on his side. He pulled himself to his feet, and ran to his father's side. Shadow stood, and looked his son in the eyes. "Son..." He was fated to leave the sentence unfinished. Mephiles's blade tore through his chest, impaling him. Shadow cried out and coughed, blood trickling from the wound and his mouth. Mephiles ripped out the blade and melted away, his muzzle bent upwards.

Striker screamed, stretching out a hand to his father. Shadow hit his knees, and clenched his wound. He slumped to the side, and went limp. Striker ran over to sit before him, propping him up on his arm. "Daddy!" He cried, his red eyes rimmed with fear and sorrow. "Daddy don't leave me! Daddy!"

Shadow cupped his son's cheek weakly and smiled, his chest compressing on itself. He was slipping fast. "Shhhh." He whispered softly, attempting to ease his child's sobs to no avail. "It'll be okay little one. Don't be afraid, be happy." He managed between coughs. "Live your life differently than me. Live a happy life with your mother. Do that for me. Promise?"

Striker shook his head in denial. "Promise me?" Shadow begged, wanting more for him than what he went through. "I...I promise, daddy. I p-promise." The young hedgehog answered, nodding his head and nuzzling his father's chest fur. "I love you daddy." He cried, his tears matting his fur.

Shadow weakly rubbed his son's quills. "I love you, son..." He breathed weakly. Striker could feel his hand go limp. The white gloved hand slid down his quills slowly, and fell to the ground. Striker cried harder, and gripped his father's fur tightly. He shook him, hoping he was just asleep, but knowing he wasn't. "Dad! Dad, wake up. Daddy, please...wake up."

Shadow tensed up, before breathing out slowly. Striker balled. He knew. "Why..." His fingers tightened into a ball before opening up and falling to the floor. He was propped up by his knees, his head hanging lowly. A single tear drop trailed down to the corner of his eye, before falling down to the concrete. "Why?" He closed his eyes, and clenched his hands into a fist.

His eyelids lifted, and he stared over at his father. Shadow's eyes had grown dull, and they would never see again. Blood trickled down the side of his mouth. He stared at nothing, thought nothing, and felt nothing. It was done. Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form, a protector, a warrior, and a father, was dead.

_Goodbye my friends...you forever hold a place in my heart. _

* * *

_So, I just threw this one together after I listened to Rain by Breaking Benjamin. If you can, you should listen to it while you read. It helps to capture the feeling of the story. This will become the prologue to a story I will do, replacing A Shadow of a Being I've already finished that one, so it'll be easier to write. Thnx! _


End file.
